One year from now, airport travelers will have a much more convenient, world class BART to Oakland International Airport connection. The Oakland Airport Connector (Connector) project is on time, on budget and has created much needed jobs for Bay Area contractors and apprenticeships for local youth.

The 3.2 mile link between BART's Coliseum Station and the Oakland International Airport will replace AirBART, a shuttle bus operated by the Port of Oakland, with a driverless automated people mover (APM) system similar to the APM used at SFO and many other airports. The Connector will offer swift, reliable service because the system will be all electric and run on a fixed, elevated guideway above any traffic congestion.

APM trains will arrive at the Coliseum Station every 4 1/2 minutes and transport air travelers to the airport in 8 minutes and 12 seconds. BART's APM includes its own vehicles, a new platform a short distance from the Coliseum Station and a platform at Oakland International Airport. The Connector is set to open in the fall of 2014, just in time for holiday travel.

In a related action, today the BART Board of Directors voted to return the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station to its original name. It will again be dubbed "Coliseum Station," which allows the Oakland Airport Connector's end of line stop to use "Oakland International Airport Station" as its designated name.